Tape positioning and holding means



Feb. 14,\1956 J. T. KING 2,734,669

TAPE POSITIONING AND HOLDING MEANS Filed April 24, 1951 i If i 52 4 INVENTOR.

: JAMES T Kl N6 United States Patent TAPE POSITIONING AND HOLDING MEANS James T. King, Manchester, Conn.,;assignor, by mesne assignments, to Abe Gellman Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application'April 24, 1951, Serial No. 222,590

Claims. (Cl; 223-110) This invention relates to devices for holding and positioning tape, fabric or webbing in stitching such material to an underlying piece of fabric or other material.

While the present invention has many applications and the device may have various forms, it is herein shown and described with particular referenceto means for holding and positioning the reinforcingtapes' which are applied to the skirt of a parachute canopy for receiving a shroud line of the parachute to prevent tearing of the parachute fabric when the parachute is in use.

The reinforcingtapes so used are folded'in an angular fashion to form an opening'through which a shroudfline may pass and the opposite ends of the tape are positioned at an angle to each other and the assembly is then stitched to the hemwhich extends about the skirt of the parachute canopy. In folding and stitching such reinforcing tapes it is found difficult to maintain satisfactory uniformity. Furthermore, the operation is slow and tedious with the result that workers. can seldom apply the reinforcing tapes to more than .30. or .35 parachutesa day.

In accordance with the present invention, a simple and convenient form of positioning and holding member is provided by means of whichthe reinforcing tape may be easily folded and held in position.so as to be accurately shaped to receive a parachute. shroud line. The folded tape is then placed accurately in position with respect to the hem of the parachute to which. it is to be applied after which the foot of the sewing machine is lowered intoengagement with the tape and the holding device may be removed and a new piece of tape placed in position on the holding device while the operation of stitching the tape previously placed in position is being performed; By using an appliance of thistype the folding and positioning of the reinforcing tapes is made uniform andthe'operation is speeded up so that 60. or more parachutes can be completed in a day and the. operator isrelieved of much of the tedious hand work. previously required.

One of the'objects of the present invention is to provide means for positioning and holding tape, fabric or other material preparatory to performing a stitching operation.

Another object of the invention. is to provide. an. instrument which may be conveniently used in folding and holding tape or similar material designed to be stitched to another piece of fabric.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide means for folding and holding reinforcing tapes preparatory to their application. to the: skirt of a parachute canopy.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will appear from the following description thereof in which referenceismadeto the figures of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a preferred form of device embodying the present invention and designed for use in applying reinforcingv tapes to the skirt of a parachute canopy.

Fig. 2 is a perspective illustrating a piece of tape designed for use in reinforcing a parachutecanopy.

2. Fig.3 is a perspective showing the manner in which the tape of Fig. 2 is applied to the device of Fig. 1, and.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of. a parachute canopy showing the manner in which the folded tape is positioned'for stitching in position.

In that form of the invention chosen for purposes of illustration in the drawing, the reinforcing tape to be applied to the skirt of la. parachutecanopy is in the form of a strip 2 having. opposite ends 4and 6 which arecut on the bias and inclined at an angle of'approximately 45 to the parallel sides 8 and 10 of. the tape.

The holding device shown in Figs. 1 and 3 comprises a body 12 which presents a fiat tape suporting surface on which the tape may be placed. The opposite edges 1410f the base are inclined as shown and are formed with shoulders 16 for positioning the tape in forming a loop or fold intermediate the. endsof the tape. The portion of the body 12 projecing beyond theshoulders 16 is provided with edgesv 18' which are inclined at a somewhat steeper angle than the edges 14 to provide a folding or forming head'about which the tape is passed or wound to form a folded or looped end through which an extended end 2'0 of the body projects. The end 20 of the body presents substantially parallel sides 22 projecting beyond the inclined surfaces 18 in essentially the same position as a shroud line will passin the finished parachute. A base 24is positioned at the opposite end of the body 12' and projects upward substantially at right angles to the plane of the body so as to present a positioning shoulder against which the ends 4 and 6 of the tape may be located; The base 24 has a rearwardly extending flange 26 formed with spaced ears 28 having elongated slots 30 therein and is preferably made separate and movable with respect to the body 12. However, the base is secured in adjusted'position with respect to the body by means of set screws 32 which project through the elongated slots 30' into a supporting block 34. The block 34 is-fixedl'y. secured to an extension 36 of'the base 12 and a handle '38 is formed on this extension for manipulating the device.

A spring holding tongue 40 projects from the base 24 over the upper surface of the body 12. This tongue preferably projects through a slot 42 in the base 24 and I to allow the tape or fabric. to be slipped edgewise beneath the tongue into position to be pressed: against the surface of the body and 'yieldab'ly hold the tape in its folded position on the body.

The device shown in Fig. l is used as illustrated in Fig. 3 to aid in folding or forming the tape into a loop and to position and hold the tape 2 in locating it with respect to the fabric for parachute skirt to which it is to be secured. For this purpose the end 4 of the tape is placed so that its edge extends substantially parallel with the base 24. The body of the tape 2 is thus inclined with respect to the base and. extends substantially parallel to one edge 14 of the body 12 of the holding device. The edge 8 of the tape is slipped beneath. the outer upturned end of the spring tongue 40' as shown in Fig. 3 and the central portion of the tape is wrapped about the inclined edge 18 of the forming head. of the device with the edge 8 bearing against the shoulder 16 of the body and the edge 10 of. the tape encircling the projecting end 20 of the body. In completing the folding operation of the tape as it is wrapped about the extremity 20 the central portion of edge 8 is positioned substantially parallel with the base 24. The end 6 of the tape is then brought forward and crossed over the portion of the tape already held beneath the free end of the tongue 40- andthe edge 8 is slipped edgewise beneath tongue 40 so that the overlapping portions of the tape are yieldably urged against the flat surface of the body 12. The edge of the tape is positioned parallel to the adjacent edge 14 of the body and the inclined end 6 of the tape is moved into engagement with the base 24.

The operations of positioning and folding the tape can be carried out very quickly and easily by the sewing machine operator while a previous sewing operation is being performed. The operator can therefore prepare each tape for application to a parachute canopy while a preceding tape is being stitched in place.

When the folded tape is to be applied to the hem of the skirt of a parachute canopy it is positioned with respect to the hem as shown in Fig. 4 with the folded extremity of the tape projecting beyond the edge 46 of the hem 48 already formed about the skirt of the canopy. At the same time the opening 50 within the folded portion of the tape through which the projection 20 of the holding device extends is positioned between the two central rows of stitching 52 by which adjacent panels of the parachute canopy are secured together. The opening 50 is thus aligned with the space between the stitching 52 in a manner to allow a shroud line shown in dotted lines at 54 to be passed through the seam between the panels and through the opening 50 in applying the shroud lines to a finished parachute canopy.

After the tape has been positioned as shown in Fig. 4 the foot of the sewing machine (not shown) may be depressed to engage and continue to hold the tape in place during a stitching operation. The holding device is then withdrawn from the folded tape leaving the tape in position for application to the underlying fabric of the parachute canopy.

Stitching then proceeds in the usual manner forming the stitches as indicated at 56 to secure the tape in place on the hem of the canopy in the usual manner. Since the sewing machines employed perform this stitching operation without further care or attention on the part of the operator requiring the use of hands, the operator may proceed to fold another strip of tape about the holding device preparatory to application thereof to another hem of the parachute. Thus the folding operation and the holding of the tape is accomplished without interrupting the sewing operation and each tape is folded in exactly the same manner so that uniformity of construction is assured.

In applying reinforcing tapes to parachute canopies of different types and size it is sometimes necessary to adjust the position of the base 24 with respect to the body 12. When such adjustment is required the screws 32 may be loosened and the base moved forward or backward with respect to the block 34 as allowed by the elongated slots 30. When the base is in its newly adjusted position the screws 32 may be tightened so that longer or shorter tapes may be folded and held in the manner previously described. The set screws 44 also may be loosened or tightened to place greater or less tension on the spring tongue 40 which holds the tape in place or to permit removal of one type of spring tongue and substitution of another of the same or different shape or form.

The holding device shown and described may be used for applying tapes or fabric to various types of equipment such as tents, clothing, awnings or other products formed of fabric. By suitable change in the form and shape of the tape employed and by variation in the shape, size and contour of the body 12 it is possible to fold and hold in position other forms of tape or reinforcing material for application to a fabric base. In view thereof it will be apparent that the present invention has numerous applications and uses although it has proven particularly successful in applying reinforcing tapes to parachute canopies as herein described. It

should therefore be understood that the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawing and described above is intended to be illustrative only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

I claim: v

1. A device for use in forming and holding a loop of tape comprising a body member having opposite edges each formed with a shoulder thereon, a forming head connected to said body and projecting beyond said shoulders, and a yieldable member urged toward said body member and located between said opposite edges in position to engage overlapping portions of a tape wrapped about said forming head and engaging said shoulders.

2. A device for use in forming and holding a loop of tape comprising a body member having a flat tape supporting surface with opposite edges inclined toward each other and each provided with a shoulder for engagement with an edge of a tape, a forming head projecting from said body member beyond said shoulders and having an extremity about which a loop of tape engaging said shoulders may be folded, and a holding member in the form of a yieldable tongue located between said edges of the body member and urged toward said tape supporting surface in position to hold tape folded about the forming head in a fixed position on said body.

3. A device for use in forming and holding a loop of tape comprising a body member having a fiat tape supporting surface with opposite edges inclined toward each other and each provided with a shoulder for engagement with an edge of a tape, a forming head projecting from said body member beyond said shoulders and having an extremity about which a loop of tape engaging said shoulders may be folded, a base member projecting from the supporting surface on the side thereof opposite said supporting head for positioning the ends of a tape folded about said head, and a holding member in the form of a yieldable tongue located between said edges of the body member and urged toward said tape supporting surface in position to hold tape folded about the forming head in a fixed position on said body.

4. A device for use in forming and holding a loop of tape comprising a body member having a flat tape supporting surface with opposite edges inclined toward each other and each provided with a shoulder for engagement with an edge of a tape, a forming head projecting from said body member beyond said shoulders and having an extremity about which a loop of tape engaging said shoulders may be folded, a base member projecting from the supporting surface on the side thereof opposite said forming head for positioning the ends of a tape folded about said head, and a holding member in the form of a yieldable tongue located between. said edges of the body member and urged toward said tape supporting surface in position to hold tape folded about the forming head in a fixed position on said body, and a handle projecting from said body member and beyond said base member.

5. A loop forming device on which loops can be formed prior to the placing of the same in position on a hem, comprising a bottom plate having wing portions and oppositely inclined edges'and a tapered portion extending forwardly of the wing portions, a spring finger extending longitudinally of the plate and yieldably overlying the body plate, means for securing the spring finger to the bottom plate, and said means for securing the finger comprising a transversely extending block piece, screws securing the block piece to the plate, said block piece having a recess in its bottom face and a screw extending through the block piece and into the recess and upon the finger to retain the same against axial displacement therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 533,792 Donovan Feb. 5, 1895 FOREIGN PATENTS 8,4 O1 Australia July 25, 1932 

